The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Interested to know what classic/older cars folk are currently running around in, separate from their Dolomites, and why. Am myself currently using as a daily driver a 1994 Toyota Soarer, with the three litre normally-aspirated straight six (the 2JZ). Very smooth and easy to use, a big lazy cruiser with enough low rev power to leave for dead GTi tailgaters.
Regards,
Richard

Triumph 2000, mk 1
Toledo, when it behaves,
750 Bonneville,
350 BSA
and the modern 850 BMW, when it goes!!!!

Prodrive Impreza
Spitfire
Mini Cooper
and a Dolomite.
I'll bet some members have a far more interesting collection! Bring them on!

Dolomite,
2500S,
Stag,
VW Touran,
Mobility scooter (local work only)
All automatics.

Judging by the number of people that comment on it, my Daihatsu Fourtrak 'modern' bizarrely to me seems to get similar attention to my Dolomite, as does my Honda CG125 with bikers, thinking about it, almost my entire fleet is just old, the newest vehicle is the 2005 Merc Vario van,

Edit: Didn't say the why I drive them, well, mostly because I forget that they're old, secondly I never sell a vehicle, I just wait until they die!

My Citroen C4 Grand Picasso is the daily driver and workhorse (it truly is a multi purpose vehicle) and the BMW gets frequent use (I go to work in it once a week). The Dolomite and Celica are both off the road. I'm hoping to get on to my Dolly once the Celica is MoTd and sold.

Like the Daihatsu Fourtrak. Can see a Suzuki Jimny in my future.
Regards,
Richard

As you can see from my signature info, I have a 1969 MGB GT which I converted using a 200 bhp 3.9 litre injected Range Rover engine. It has a 5-speed 'box, fully independent suspension all round, four wheel disc brakes, power steering, cruise control, etc. It is a very fine and very quick motor car. I built it from a £250 wreck over ten years ago and it has been on many trips, including to the south of France.

Then there is the 2002 BMW Z3 2.2 litre Sport roadster. A very nice car with great retro styling and that super smooth 6 cylinder motor, but a rather hard ride.

My wife has a 2011 VW Touran. Not the most reliable car we have had, but a great practical vehicle.

The Dolly 1850HL is the latest addition. Acquired for nothing it looks well and goes well once I had lavished some time and money on it.

I have a great afinity and affection for the MkIII Cavalier of which I have 2. I truly believe it marks the high point of automotive development. It's got enough electronics to make it reliable, without all the emission crap and complex canbus garbage that make moderns complicated and unreliable.

I've been running them since the first cars were only about 8 years old and they were just cheap, reliable, easy to fix and surprisingly frugal transport. They were everywhere too! They are finally being recognised as the icon they are and pices are starting to rise.

However i've been using the Carledo as my daily since Sept 2017 and both Cavs have been off the road. Since I'm losing my yard at Christmas, they'll probably both have to go. Both are 2.0litre auto saloons. Winter project anyone?





Which will leave me only SWMBOs's Xsara Picasso as a backup, at least until the Sprint is finished. I don't love the car at all, but I do have a grudging respect for it, it does what it says on the tin. And in my 7 years and 25k miles of ownership has only needed a set of pads and 4 new tyres beyond it's annual services. Nothing has broken, nothing has fallen off, I can't grumble!

Steve

Carledo wrote: ↑Tue Nov 26, 2019 12:09 am I have a great afinity and affection for the MkIII Cavalier of which I have 2. I truly believe it marks the high point of automotive development. It's got enough electronics to make it reliable, without all the emission crap and complex canbus garbage that make moderns complicated and unreliable.

I've been running them since the first cars were only about 8 years old and they were just cheap, reliable, easy to fix and surprisingly frugal transport. They were everywhere too! They are finally being recognised as the icon they are and pices are starting to rise.

Great cars Steve. I had a Mk111 some years ago and have had a series of Octavia's since. I like the Octavia very much, good no nonsense motoring, but I haven't had a car that comes close to the Cavalier. Loved it.

About 8 years ago we bought an early MX5 (had a CT trackday booked, and Toledo had blown another 1500 engine...) so £620 later we had a 1990 MX5 on the driveway. Some new discs/pads and an oilchange, and good to go. It ended up doing all 3 sessions/hour on the day, all without complaint. That was kept for 3 years before moving on when my spitfire was finished.

And we have just got a fresh MX5, year 2000/w plate, one owner and 50K. Lovely car for little money, even has a hardtop. The lady wife is over the moon, and it is a nice car to drive. Only downside is it will need a sill repair for the next MoT, and it needs 2 tyres as the rears are old and despite being Michelin sport pilots, have less grip than I would like.

Oh, and some scrote sawed teh CAT off it while it was parked near my wifes work. Made a de-cat pipe, and have since picked up a used MX5 cat off another model that can be utilised with a bit of welding.

But these MX5's are just bulletproof fun cars. Biggest issue is finding one that hasn't been ruined by daft mods. They work out of the box!

I know many won't think of MX5's as classics, but this is 19 years old, and the oldest are now 30! My first spitfire was only 12 years old....first dolomite only 7 (and that car just about put me off Dolomites for life, but I had forgotten about it when I bough my Toledo 11 years ago)

cliftyhanger wrote: ↑Tue Nov 26, 2019 9:15 am
And we have just got a fresh MX5, year 2000/w plate, one owner and 50K. Lovely car for little money, even has a hardtop. The lady wife is over the moon, and it is a nice car to drive. Only downside is it will need a sill repair for the next MoT, and it needs 2 tyres as the rears are old and despite being Michelin sport pilots, have less grip than I would like.

My wife has a 2001 MK2, owned it since it was a year old. I waxoyled it every where when we first got it and twice since. The rear sills rotted through. The rear arches had a few bubbles as well. In the end I replaced the whole rear wing/sill section. Glad I did as the rust had gone through 2 of the inner sections on the sill as well. The issue is four leayers of metal all coming together at the bottom of the sill, condensation just rots them all from the inside out, by the time you can see it it is too late. patch over the outside just hides the problem. The other bad area is the front chassis rails, largely hidden by the front under tray, these rot away badly. You can buy repair sections for them.

Other than that the car has done 120,000 miles and never once let her down, still on the original exhaust!

Roger

I've run a "classic" for years, in the 1980's I had a '55 Standard 8 as a daily driver (had a "10" engine and twin carbs and Herald diff). Still got the car but it needs a complete resto now, had it for 38 years!

In terms of current "roadworthy" classics I have a '71 Stag and a '85 Land Rover 110 SW - fast becoming a classic, though not when I bought it 25 years ago as the main family transport. My wife has a 2001 MX5. Then of course my latest addition, a '75 Sprint.

Waiting in line I have a pile of project's, '55 Standard 8 saloon, '55 Standard Vanguard Diesel, '60 Standard 10 Van, '64 Standard 7 cwt pick up, '63 Austin Healey Sprite (MK2), and a '98 Peugeot 106 GTi.

Daily drivers are a Peugeot 106 (1.1) as a local run around and a '04 VW Passat Estate (130 TDi) for long runs and load lugging.

My big problem is I know how to buy stuff, just haven't learnt how to sell it yet

Roger

My big problem is I know how to buy stuff, just haven't learnt how to sell it yet

Roger
[/quote]

What's wrong with that? Is it not standard practice?

Tony.

dollyman wrote: ↑Tue Nov 26, 2019 12:56 pm My big problem is I know how to buy stuff, just haven't learnt how to sell it yet

Roger

What's wrong with that? Is it not standard practice?

Tony.
[/quote]

It does seem to be standard practice to me but there is a problem, at some stage you run out of space You then enter into negotiations with your "partner", making all sorts of rash promises if she will just let you have an itsy, bitsy 40ft container to clear some space in the workshop and store some projects in - "it will make my life easier and give me space to work honest" - she agrees and you fill it up, and then fill up the space you have just cleared with more "projects". You then find that you apparently "lied" and got your extra space under "false pretences" and you are "not allowed to buy anything else until there is evidence of stuff happening and progress with your projects" - apparently sorting the carbs and valve clearances on the Sprint does not count as progress

Really doesn't seem fair to me, she has a whole wardrobe, (it is a double wardrobe as well), full of clothes and shoes

Roger